Frog Eye Salad

Frog Eye Salad:This cool and creamy salad is the perfect make ahead side dish. Always quick to disappear at BBQs and potlucks!

Frog Eye Salad is the perfect accompaniment to your next backyard barbecue. This classic treat can be served as a dessert or as a delicious side dish. With refreshing pineapple, whipped cream and tasty marshmallows , this dish is sure to stand out at your next get together for both it’s fruity taste and its unusual appearance. Interested in attempting this easy and fun treat? Read below for our favorite Frog Eye Salad recipe, as well as all some tips and tricks that will make your dish stand out from the rest.

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What is a Frog Eye Salad?

Frog Eye Salad (or as it’s sometimes pronounced “Frogged Eyed Salad”) is more of a dessert , or a side dish than a salad. The base of the salad is actually  pasta called Acini Di Pepe.  Acini de pepe (translated seeds of pepper) is a small round pasta about the size of a pepper corn. You may have had it before in wedding soup. This pasta is what gives Frog Eye Salad it’s peculiar appearance and subsequently its name. Best of all no frogs were harmed in the making! 😉 Acini de pepe frog eye salad is known for being a fruity and sweet treat, and can often be found at barbecues, picnics and church potlucks everywhere.

How Do You Make Frog Eye Salad?

First, cook the pasta according the to package direction. Don’t forget to add a pinch of salt. Also, be sure to drain it.

Next juice your lemon and orange. You want about 1 cup total. If you don’t have enough, add some pineapple juice from your crushed pineapple.

Tips To Get the Most Juice From Your Fruit:

1. Microwave: Microwaving the fruit for 10-20 seconds makes it softer ,and easier to squeeze.
2. Cut the lemon correctly: Cut the lemon vertically instead of horizontally. This gives you more surface area which can give you better access to all that wonderful juice.
3. Roll you lemon: Rolling a lemon on the counter is an old bartender trick to get the most possible juice out of a fruit.

Then, mix your juices, sugar, and cornstarch in a kettle. Cook until thickened. After that, combine with pasta.

Just before serving, add fruit and Cool Whip.

How Many Calories are in Frog Eye Salad?

Frog Eye Salad only has about  260 calories per serving.  Not too shabby for a bowl of pasta, marshmallows, and Cool Whip right?! If you’re looking to make this a healthier treat, omit some of the sugar (just note the dish will be less sweet). For even lower calorie options, consider using a light or fat free cool whip, or adding a sugar substitute for sweetness.

Can You Use Other Types of Pasta?

Part of the appeal of the acini di pepe pasta, is its small size and neutral flavor (not to mention the appearance of the pasta is what gives the salad its name). If you use something other than this teeny, pearl shaped pasta, you run the risk of a heavier salad or an overwhelming pasta taste. This flavor may combine poorly with the sweetness of the  fruit and marshmallows. Overall using another type of pasta is not recommended. If you do need a substitute for the Acini di Pepe, you can use tapioca instead.

Can You Make the Frogged Eye Salad Ahead of Time?

Absolutely,  frogs eye salad can easily be made ahead making it perfect for potlucks or backyard barbecues. Frog Eye Salad is best served cold, so it can easily be made the night before a party and kept in the fridge. Just add your fruit, marshmallows, and Cool Whip before serving.  It tastes best if consumed within two days.

Can You Freeze This Frog Eye Salad Recipe?

Frog Eye Salad can be frozen but does not look or taste the same as if you simply refrigerated it. If you’re looking to make portions of the salad in advance to save yourself some effort or because you know you’ll be short on time, consider making the pasta ahead of time. Cooked pasta can be kept in the freezer for up to two weeks. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container to ward off freezer burn.

Frog Eye Salad History

No one knows exactly where Frog Eye Salad originated ,but it is known to be very popular in Utah and the surrounding areas, particularly with people in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Others claim it’s actually more of a midwestern dish.

However you enjoy Frog Eye Salad, with cool whip or whipped cream, with flakes of coconut or without, low-calorie or chock full of sugary goodness, this dish is sure to be a hit at your next summer get together. With only a few simple ingredients and a quick prep time, it’s easy to fit the preparation into your busy(and hot) summer schedule.

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What do you think of this frog eye salad recipe? What is you favorite picnic side dish?